the antiquities of the jews-1-第75章

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ripe　enough　for　reaping；　he　caught　three　hundred　foxes；　and
joining　lighted　torches　to　their　tails；　he　sent　them　into　the
fields　of　the　Philistines；　by　which　means　the　fruits　of　the
fields　perished。　Now　when　the　Philistines　knew　that　this　was
Samson's　doing；　and　knew　also　for　what　cause　he　did　it；　they　sent
their　rulers　to　Timhath；　and　burnt　his　former　wife；　and　her
relations；　who　had　been　the　occasion　of　their　misfortunes。

8。　Now　when　Samson　had　slain　many　of　the　Philistines　in　the　plain
country；　he　dwelt　at　Etam；　which　is　a　strong　rock　of　the　tribe　of
Judah；　for　the　Philistines　at　that　time　made　an　expedition
against　that　tribe：　but　the　people　of　Judah　said　that　they　did
not　act　justly　with　them；　in　inflicting　punishments　upon　them
while　they　paid　their　tribute；　and　this　only　on　account　of
Samson's　offenses。　They　answered；　that　in　case　they　would　not　be
blamed　themselves；　they　must　deliver　up　Samson；　and　put　him　into
their　power。　So　they　being　desirous　not　to　be　blamed　themselves；
came　to　the　rock　with　three　thousand　armed　men；　and　complained　to
Samson　of　the　bold　insults　he　had　made　upon　the　Philistines；　who
were　men　able　to　bring　calamity　upon　the　whole　nation　of　the
Hebrews；　and　they　told　him　they　were　come　to　take　him；　and　to
deliver　him　up　to　them；　and　put　him　into　their　power；　so　they
desired　him　to　bear　this　willingly。　Accordingly；　when　he　had
received　assurance　from　them　upon　oath；　that　they　would　do　him　no
other　harm　than　only　to　deliver　him　into　his　enemies'　hands；　he
came　down　from　the　rock；　and　put　himself　into　the　power　of　his
countrymen。　Then　did　they　bind　him　with　two　cords；　and　lead　him
on；　in　order　to　deliver　him　to　the　Philistines；　and　when　they
came　to　a　certain　place；　which　is　now　called　the　Jaw…bone；　on
account　of　the　great　action　there　performed　by　Samson；　though　of
old　it　had　no　particular　name　at　all；　the　Philistines；　who　had
pitched　their　camp　not　far　off；　came　to　meet　them　with　joy　and
shouting；　as　having　done　a　great　thing；　and　gained　what　they
desired；　but　Samson　broke　his　bonds　asunder；　and　catching　up　the
jaw…bone　of　an　ass　that　lay　down　at　his　feet；　fell　upon　his
enemies；　and　smiting　them　with　his　jaw…bone；　slew　a　thousand　of
them；　and　put　the　rest　to　flight　and　into　great　disorder。

9。　Upon　this　slaughter　Samson　was　too　proud　of　what　he　had
performed；　and　said　that　this　did　not　come　to　pass　by　the
assistance　of　God；　but　that　his　success　was　to　be　ascribed　to　his
own　courage；　and　vaunted　himself；　that　it　was　out　of　a　dread　of
him　that　some　of　his　enemies　fell　and　the　rest　ran　away　upon　his
use　of　the　jaw…bone；　but　when　a　great　thirst　came　upon　him；　he
considered　that　human　courage　is　nothing；　and　bare　his　testimony
that　all　is　to　be　ascribed　to　God；　and　besought　him　that　he　would
not　be　angry　at　any　thing　he　had　said；　nor　give　him　up　into　the
hands　of　his　enemies；　but　afford　him　help　under　his　affliction；
and　deliver　him　from　the　misfortune　he　was　under。　Accordingly　God
was　moved　with　his　entreaties；　and　raised　him　up　a　plentiful
fountain　of　sweet　water　at　a　certain　rock　whence　it　was　that
Samson　called　the　place　the　Jaw…bone；　（20）　and　so　it　is　called　to
this　day。

10。　After　this　fight　Samson　held　the　Philistines　in　contempt；　and
came　to　Gaza；　and　took　up　his　lodgings　in　a　certain　inn。　When　the
rulers　of　Gaza　were　informed　of　his　coming　thither；　they　seized
upon　the　gates；　and　placed　men　in　ambush　about　them；　that　he
might　not　escape　without　being　perceived；　but　Samson；　who　was
acquainted　with　their　contrivances　against　him；　arose　about
midnight；　and　ran　by　force　upon　the　gates；　with　their　posts　and
beams；　and　the　rest　of　their　wooden　furniture；　and　carried　them
away　on　his　shoulders；　and　bare　them　to　the　mountain　that　is　over
Hebron；　and　there　laid　them　down。

11。　However；　he　at　length　（21）　transgressed　the　laws　of　his
country；　and　altered　his　own　regular　way　of　living；　and　imitated
the　strange　customs　of　foreigners；　which　thing　was　the　beginning
of　his　miseries；　for　he　fell　in　love　with　a　woman　that　was　a
harlot　among　the　Philistines：　her　name　was　Delilah；　and　he　lived
with　her。　So　those　that　administered　the　public　affairs　of　the
Philistines　came　to　her；　and；　with　promises；　induced　her　to　get
out　of　Samson　what　was　the　cause　of　that　his　strength；　by　which
he　became　unconquerable　to　his　enemies。　Accordingly；　when　they
were　drinking；　and　had　the　like　conversation　together；　she
pretended　to　admire　the　actions　he　had　done；　and　contrived　to　get
out　of　him　by　subtlety；　by　what　means　he　so　much　excelled　others
in　strength。　Samson；　in　order　to　delude　Delilah；　for　he　had　not
yet　lost　his　senses；　replied；　that　if　he　were　bound　with　seven
such　green　withs　of　a　vine　as　might　still　be　wreathed；　he　should
be　weaker　than　any　other　man。　The　woman　said　no　more　then；　but
told　this　to　the　rulers　of　the　Philistines；　and　hid　certain　of
the　soldiers　in　ambush　within　the　house；　and　when　he　was
disordered　in　drink　and　asleep；　she　bound　him　as　fast　as　possible
with　the　withs；　and　then　upon　her　awakening　him；　she　told　him
some　of　the　people　were　upon　him；　but　he　broke　the　withs；　and
endeavored　to　defend　himself；　as　though　some　of　the　people　were
upon　him。　Now　this　woman；　in　the　constant　conversation　Samson　had
with　her；　pretended　that　she　took　it　very　ill　that　he　had　such
little　confidence　in　her　affections　to　him；　that　he　would　not
tell　her　what　she　desired；　as　if　she　would　not　conceal　what　she
knew　it　was　for　his　interest　to　have　concealed。　However；　he
deluded　her　again；　and　told　her；　that　if　they　bound　him　with
seven　cords；　he　should　lose　his　strength。　And　when；　upon　doing
this；　she　gained　nothing；　he　told　her　the　third　thee；　that　his
hair　should　be　woven　into　a　web；　but　when；　upon　doing　this；　the
truth　was　not　yet　discovered；　at　length　Samson；　upon　Delilah's
prayer；　（for　he　was　doomed　to　fall　into　some　affliction；）　was
desirous　to　please　her；　and　told　her　that　God　took　care　of　him；
and　that　he　was　born　by　his　providence；　and　that　〃thence　it　is
that　I　suffer　my　hair　to　grow；　God　having　charged　me　never　to
poll　my　head；　and　thence　my　strength　is　according　to　the　increase
and　continuance　of　my　hair。〃　When　she　had　learned　thus　much；　and
had　deprived　him　of　his　hair；　she　delivered　him　up　to　his
enemies；　when　he　was　not　strong　enough　to　defend　himself　from
their　attempts　upon　him；　so　they　put　out　his　eyes；　and　bound　him；
and　had　him　led　about　among　them。

12。　But　in　process　of　time　Samson's　hair　grew　again。　And　there
was　a　public　festival　among　the　Philistines；　when　the　rulers；　and
those　of　the　most　eminent　character；　were　feasting　together；　（now
the　room　wherein　they　were　had　its　roof　supported　by　two　pillars
；）　so　they　sent　for　Samson；　and　he　was　brought　to　their　feast；
that　they　might　insult　him　in　their　cups。　Hereupon　he；　thinking
it　one　of　the　greatest　misfortunes；　if　he　should　not　be　able　to
revenge　himself　when　he　was　thus　insulted；　persuaded　the　boy　that
led　him　by　the　hand；　that　he　was　weary　and　wanted　to　rest
himself；　and　desired　he　would　bring　him　near　the　pillars；　and　as
soon　as　he　came　to　them；　he　rushed　with　force　against　them；　and
overthrew　the　house；　by　overthrowing　its　pillars；　with　three
thousand　men　in　it；　who　were　all　slain；　and　Samson　with　them。　And
such　was　the　end　of　this　man；　when　he　had　ruled　over　the
Israelites　twenty　years。　And　indeed　this　man　deserves　to　be
admired　for　his　courage　and　strength；　and　magnanimity　at　his
death；　and　that　his　wrath　against　his　enemies　went　so　far　as　to
die　himself　with　them。　But　as　for　his　being　ensnared　by　a　woman；
that　is　to　be　ascribed　to　human　nature；　which　is　too　weak　to
resist　the　temptations　to　that　sin；　but　we　ought　to　bear　him
witness；　that　in　all　other　respects　he　was　one　of　extraordinary
virtue。　But　his　kindred　took　away　his　body；　and　buried　it　in
Sarasat　his　own　country；　with　the　rest　of　his　family。

CHAPTER　9。

How　Under　Eli's　Government　Of　The　Israelites　Booz　Married　Ruth；
From　Whom　Came　Obed　The　Grandfather　Of　David。

1。　Now　after　the　death　of　Samson；　Eli　the　high　priest　was
governor　of　the　Israelites。　Under　him；　when　the　country　was
afflicted　with　a　famine；　Elimelech　of　Bethlehem；　which　is　a　city
of　the　tribe　of　Judah